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Parties, tattoos, depression, dance: the film “Dancer” about Sergei Polunin

Text:  NASTYA POLETAEVA for Blueprint

May 18, 2016

Sergei Polunin, compared with Baryshnikov, called the new Nureyev, and on the impact on the fans, he can compete with Louis Garrel.  Today the film company “Pioneer” releases a tape “Dancer”, telling the story of the pop star of ballet.  We watched the movie and recommend it for viewing, regardless of your thoughts on its subject.

 

The documentary film “Dancer” is about the life of the ballet prodigy Sergei Polunin.  Here in Russia, ballet is very revered – perhaps even more so than in the UK, where Polunin became a star.  The “rock prince of the ballet” formulations are not applicable to the audience here (in Russia), and quotes from the interview with Sergei saying “classical ballet is dead” rather irritate us.

parties tattoos depression dance
Photo: RICK GUEST

 

Inner drama

After the movie “Dancer” we questioned “Why is Polunin so popular?”  He is an ideal Lermontov hero.  His childhood was spent in Kherson.  He studied in the Kiev ballet school, where for the sake of payment, his father Sergei had to go to Portugal and work there at the construction site.  His grandmother moved to Greece, where she was a nurse.  Viewing a tape of him at the Royal Academy of Ballet in London resulted in Polunin getting a grant.  He worked hard, even staying after classes were dismissed.  He hoped to meet expectations and reunite the family, however his parents’ relationship finally succumbed to divorce.  Admission to the Royal Ballet troupe as principal dancer at age 19 only led to nervous breakdowns, parties, tattoos, and depression.  Upon leaving the theater, Polunin took on advertising contracts, bought a tattoo parlor, and achieved fame as the “enfant terrible.”  It’s hard to believe that this cinematic story is a chronicle of just 22 years of a real person’s life.  Complex character in combination with charisma, choreographic gift, and physical beauty interested the ballet community and the press.  And, participation in the viral Hozier clip created Sergei fanatics and fans all over the world. 
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance

Command

In January of 2012, Sergei Polunin, with a scandal and the phrase “I’m tired of receiving orders,” left the Royal Ballet troupe, where he was the youngest soloist in history.  Just at the moment when the whole world press began to write about Polunin, the British producer Gabriela Tana suggested that he become the main character of the documentary about himself.  Later, Sergei will say for that the frankness of the tape and the credibility of the crew, the merit is all Gaby’s.
parties tattoos depression dance

Stephen Cantor, the director of “Dancer”, and Gabriela Tann are both Oscar nominees.  Together Tana and Kantor filmed with the support of the BBC, and participated in its production in general.  All the familiar and people close to Polunin participated, from the famous choreographer and former classmate Jade Hale-Christopher, to his mother Galina, and choreographer Igor Zelensky.  Polunin, at the time of the decision to start filming, was only 22 years of age.

parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance

New Rudolf Nureyev?

Before leaving the Royal Ballet and covering his body with tattoos, Sergei Polunin was simply immersed in ballet.  He danced better than anyone else – so much that he was immediately transferred to the third year at a London school, and at the age of 17 he began to perform as a member of the troupe.  Polunin’s fellow students remember that he was always the best, and the ex-director of the Royal Ballet says in the film: “He was too big for supporting roles like the bronze idol. People did not look at the soloists, but at him.”  Thanks to the phenomenal technique, excellent jumps, the ideal physical form and charisma, Sergei received an offer to become a leading soloist in just 19 years.  British newspapers rattled.  After the premiere of “Giselle” they came out with headlines like “Who danced Giselle?” – Polunin so eclipsed the title performer of the ballet.
parties tattoos depression dance

People booked tickets for Sergei’s performances in two years in advance, applauded for double digit curtain calls, and waited for him at the exit from the theater.  Considering that after Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov there was not a single ballet dancer of this scale from Russia and the countries of the former USSR, Polunin was immediately dubbed their successor.  And even in a video for Dior, he appeared with a portrait of Nureyev in his hands.

parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance

parties tattoos depression dance

 parties tattoos depression dance

Take Me To Church

A sun-drenched building, talc on the floor, a tattooed Sergei Polunin in beige tights dances to “Take Me To Church” by Hozier.  At the time of this publication, the video has 19 million hits, it was viral.  When Sergei realized that he was not cramped in the Royal Theater, but in classical ballet in general, he decided he could no longer live like that.  He no longer had unconquered peaks, and he decided to end his career. To put an end to the most significant part of his life, Polunin asked friend Jade Hale-Christopher to give him a farewell dance.  Kiev, then London, then Moscow – no theater in the world gave Sergei what those four minutes uploaded to YouTube did.  Contracts (including ballet) were poured on him, people wrote letters to him and begged him to continue to dance – all this inspired him to continue his career.

parties tattoos depression dance

 

Sergei Polunin and the popularization of the ballet

Like Polunin or not, the fact remains: his name on the poster “sells” the performance better than almost any other and attracts to the theater even those who have never before been there.  Before leaving the classical choreography (which the ballet community still mourns about), he was a real rock star in the classical scene – and people reacted to him like Iggy Pop.  Polunin’s active participation in related projects – glossy filming, fashion shows, advertising premium marks, filming the same “Take Me To Church” – is what he is scolded for the most.  Things were said like, “narcissism can ruin,” and “not such a talent,” “the main thing is ballet,” and so on.  But in fact, we will never know if the Royal Theater in London would have made such a ticket, and many other theaters, if they had not danced the “pop star” Polunin. 

parties tattoos depression dance

The concept of “I’m tired, I’m leaving” in classical art

“I wanted to go to America, but nobody would take me – they thought I was crazy,” Sergei says in the film about the consequences of his abrupt departure from the Royal Ballet.  According to rumors, indeed, Polunin broke several negotiations with American theaters because of his reputation as an unreliable member of the corps.  The fact is that ballet is a very conservative environment.  Dancers very rarely move from one theater to another and certainly do not break the contract, being 22-year-old principal: this is a professional suicide.  After these antics, a “bad boy” label was glued to Polunin, and he himself began to think what he could do besides the ballet.  While out of plans – to open an agency whose managers would protect the interests of ballet artists, open several schools, film (two Hollywood tapes are already out this fall), and continue to dance, if there is enough time.  The only big ballet Project Polunin, was very coldly received by critics, but, obviously, Sergei now has a completely different life and other priorities.

parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance

Why the history of Polunin has been controversial for nearly ten years

Firstly, because Sergei turned his life into a reality show – he honestly tells what he thinks about the classical ballet and what his plans for life are, in front of the fans.  He leaves choreography and returns to it.  We observe the process of an important life choice of an exceptionally talented person in real time.  Secondly, because many are worried about whether Polunin will enter kitsch (Nikolai Baskov was once a promising opera singer, and Anastasia Volochkova, a good ballerina).  Already now in an interview Sergei, jokingly or not, calls himself “the best dancer in the world.” A great talent combined with youth, fame and the desire to make revolution can be a dangerous combination.  Do spectators have the right to condemn Sergei, even if tomorrow he decides to take part in the show “The Voice”?  There are no answers, but it will be interesting to follow future development.
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance
parties tattoos depression dance

 

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